


The Road Found

by yoursecretbattle



Category: Fast and the Furious Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Community: trope_bingo, M/M, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 10:59:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoursecretbattle/pseuds/yoursecretbattle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The lines had been there for as long as Brian could remember. And he knew, he knew deep down what they were, what they meant. He knew that there were people out there with the same lines, a few of them and that when he found one, when he touched one of them, he’d be bonded to them for life. </p><p>But somewhere along the line he had convinced himself that it wasn’t real, that Bonding didn’t exist and the lines were nothing but a scar. </p><p>Which is what he tells the recruitment officer. Even if he knows deep down he’s lying, the lie comes out easy, like it’s practically the truth and then he’s in and that’s that. He’s in the army and they’re shipping him out to fight for his country.  </p><p>And not once did Brian consider that what he knew deep down to be true, could ever eventuate in something like this. Not once did he ever think that he would find his bondmate, the one person he couldn’t live without in war-torn Vietnam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Road Found

**Part 1**

It was a normal Tuesday.

As normal as any day of the week was out here in the middle of a warzone. It was constantly hot and humid; there was no relief, not even at nighttime and that annoyance didn’t even come close to the constant fear of Guerilla’s springing out of the tall grass to shoot you. That never really went away; not after you’d watched as a man not twenty feet from you, a man you’d known since you’d been here, who was talking and laughing; suddenly wasn’t, who was suddenly gasping and gurgling around the blood leaking out of his mouth and gushing out of the new hole in his chest. 

So, it was a normal Tuesday, give or take, and Brian’s squad was patrolling, like they did every day, protecting the friendly-zone’s perimeter. 

When Brian was sent over to Vietnam as an infantry medic, he’d had no idea that war would involve so much walking. Everyday, they would walk; patrol, just the eight of them in the squad patrolling their designated section of the perimeter. They would walk for miles without seeing another living soul; animal or human. Every now and then they would cross into another squads marching zone and they’d pass their brother’s in arms, shouting out jokes and shaking hands, happy to see faces other than the same eight for at least a few minutes. 

Today was one such day; and someone had clearly been waiting for it to happen. 

It was the end of the day, and Brian and his squad had once again been walking for most of it. The other squad appeared a few miles off in the distance coming around a bend in the road, the two squads heading towards each other. It took all of five minutes for the squads to meet, passing each other; greetings and slurs flying between the two groups of men.

And suddenly Brian was deaf, and there was a great expanse of blue in front of his eyes and Brian had never felt so confused. 

A moment later his hearing started to return in the form of a dull haze, and as Brian blinked, it became clear that the expanse of blue was the sky and Brian was somehow on his back. On the ground. 

He struggled to sit, blinking his eyes again as the dull haze in his ears started to sharpen into specific sounds and as Brian looked around it became clear what had happened. His unit was all in a position much like him; shocked and confused, all of them sprawled out on the ground and easy pickings for anyone who decided to start taking them out. 

Which was when Brian realised he had his upper body sticking up off the ground like a beacon. Panic surged through him and he dropped back like a stone, landing on his cumbersome backpack. The backpack, right. 

He flipped over onto his belly as quickly and gracefully as he could with a 30 pound backpack strapped to him and then searched around for his squad members. 

He spotted four of them quickly, just behind him; two of them in similar positions to him, the other two were still on their backs, dazed and confused. The first two; Grady and Barnes signalled him to say that they were alright and he signalled them back to check on the other two. From what he could see of Parker and Nealy they wouldn’t need much, if any, medical help. The other’s would let him know. 

He shuffled back around, trying to keep his body as low to the ground as possible as he inched forward, closer to the centre of the explosion. There were men splayed out everywhere, some he recognised, some of them were from the other squad. Brian didn’t know if the other squad had a combat medic but he couldn’t see another pack like his, so it looked like he was it.

He crawled forwards; most of the men were coming around and shaking themselves out as he checked on them, spurring themselves into action, getting their buddies and getting off the road, finding cover in the long grass and in front of trees. 

Brian’s sergeant had a deep cut to his forehead and was harder to rouse than the others, but after a few moments he came around; Brian slapped a bandage onto his head and urged the man onto his stomach and pushed him toward the others. 

The sergeant had almost reached the side of the dirt road when the rapid fire of an automatic weapon started and the now familiar curl of panic gripped at Brian and he tried to drop even further into the dirt than he already was. Which wasn’t far at all. 

He was panting, fear shooting through his spine as a second weapon fired, louder and closer than before and Brian was sure he was dead any minute before he realised there were more weapons joining in too and it was his squad, returning fire and laying down cover for him and the rest of the men. 

He took the opportunity he’d been given to raise up onto his feet and ducking his upper body low, he raced toward the few men still splayed out on the road. Reid was a few feet away, struggling to move with an injured leg, and Brian pushed him down when he got to him, gritting his teeth at the sight of the man’s unnaturally twisted leg. Dislocated knee, probably. 

There wasn’t much Brian could do for the man here. 

He ducked low and shrugged off his pack, digging out the medevac sat phone, and calling in for help. 

“O’Connor.” Reid hissed at him, “I gotta get over there. We’re being attacked.” The man was angry; angry at the war, angry they were under fire, angry they’d been ambushed, angry he’d been injured. He may never be able to use his leg in the same way again. Brian didn’t blame him for being angry or in denial, but it was one of the toughest aspects of being the medic. 

Brian put on his best corporal-in-charge voice and hissed back, “Stay put. You aren’t going anywhere but the aid station on that leg.” And then softer, “I’m sorry man.” Brian knew Reid wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines and let his buddies fight for him, but right now he had no choice. “You’re going home, buddy. There’s no way they’ll rotate you with this leg. You can get back to April.” 

Reid finally stopped struggling to get off the road and dropped heavily back into the dirt with a sharp exhale. Brian took the opportunity to jab the morphine syringe into the man’s unhurt leg and depress the plunger. 

“Really, man?” The injured private asked as his eyes started to glaze over. Brian started to babble at the injured man as he got to strapping and splinting the dislocated joint, readying him for transport, as soon as the medevac got here.

He was just about done, when someone yelled out for him. 

“O’Conner!” 

Brian jerked his head up to see Parker, crouched down next to what looked like a mangled lump of green. The man looked shocked and panicky and he was gesturing madly for Brian to join him. 

“Coming!” He yelled back and rushed through tying off Reid’s splint. He patted the drugged man’s good leg and murmured, “Stay put.” and then sprinted in a crouch over to his squad member. 

The lump of green turned out to be two men, one lying on top of the other and Brian could immediately see what had Parker so panicked. 

The man on top, who from the mop of short blond hair was clearly Jesse Sinclair, the youngest member of Brian’s squad; had a massive, oozing hole in the middle of his back. 

“Shit.” Brain cursed and grabbed for gauze, packing it into the wound and applying pressure, trying to staunch the bleeding. “Parker.” He barked, “Hands.” He instructed and then pushed down hard on Parker’s hands when he placed them where Brian’s had been a moment before. 

Brian started in on the injured man, checking his vitals; faint pulse and low blood pressure, before he yelled out, “I need some help over here!” And two men broke off from laying down cover fire and raced over to help. One of the men, Pearce, was the only unaccounted man from Brian’s squad. Brian was glad to see he was ok. The other man Brian didn’t know, he must’ve been from the other squad. But he was big, strong looking, dark hair and a mean looking face. The patch on his green’s labelled him as Peretti. 

Brian had inserted a saline drip into Sinclair’s arm before the men arrived at his side. “I need you to move him, gently. I need to check the man underneath him.” 

“I’m alright.” Replied a deep voice from the ground. Brian craned over Jessie’s back to look at the face of the man pinned under the slighter frame of Jessie Sinclair. The man was big, almost as big as Peretti, but harder looking somehow, scarier, even pinned underneath another man’s body. 

“I still need to check you.” Brian replied to the man’s face now. 

The man nodded but didn’t try to move. “I didn’t want to move him. He hasn’t come around. He hasn’t moved at all.” He nodded towards Jessie, looking concerned. 

Brian nodded back, in understanding. He was worried too. “The medevac will be here soon. He just has to hold on until then.” 

Brian replaced the bottle of saline, and slowed the flow rate a little. The corporal’s pressure was up a bit, which was a good sign. 

The faintest sounds of helicopter blades could be heard now, cutting sharply through the air, booking to get to the injured party. They were a still a few minutes out. 

Brian nodded to Pearce and Peretti who were ready at Sinclair’s head and feet, respectively, to move the injured man. “Alright, gently on three. Try not to jostle him too much. Keep him as steady as possible. One...Two...Three.” Pearce and Peretti lifted Sinclair slightly off the other soldier and moved him to the right a few feet. Brian; still holding the steadily dripping saline bottle and Parker who was still applying pressure to Jessie’s wound, moved with them and then they lowered him gently to the ground. Sinclair didn’t stir at all. 

Brian handed the saline bottle off to Pearce and did one last check of Sinclair’s vital signs, before he clambered over to the now freed… sergeant. 

The sergeant who was already pushing himself into a seated position. 

“Sir, let me check-”

He never got to finish his sentence. Brian had reached out a hand to push the other man back down to the ground and as soon as he made contact with the man’s shoulder, fire erupted through Brian’s chest. 

Brian was sure he’d been shot.

Brian crumpled forward, crying out in pain. There was a groan of pain somewhere in front of him and he wondered if someone else had been shot as well. He was of no use to them now. 

But with the pain, there was something else as well. Something warm and comforting, like it had finally found it’s home, right where it should be, right in the middle of Brian’s chest. 

And then suddenly the pain was mostly gone. Just one pinprick of burning fire on his chest. His foggy head clears slowly and he lifts his head from his chest, looking around. The man he was tending to appeared to be in a similar situation to Brian. No one else but Sinclair and Reid appeared hurt. 

Brian looked down at his chest and was surprised to see no spreading bloodstain, no bullet hole through his greens. He unbuckled his vest, panicking slightly now, and ripped open his jacket. Still no blood, no sign of injury. He lifted the regulation white t-shirt and examined his bare, white chest. Completely unmarred. 

Except. Except for the mark. The mark that had always been just to the right of his sternum, almost like a scar; just two thin, innocent white lines. They weren’t white right now. Just like they felt like they were on fire, the lines were a bright angry red. 

Dread seared through Brian, settling in the pit of his stomach. _No, it couldn’t be._

But even as he denied it, he knew exactly what was happening. There was no mistaking the small, bright red lines on his chest, or the deep connection he could feel forming in the centre of his sternum, a connection to the man in front of him, a man he didn’t know at all. There was no other explanation. 

He looked back up to the other man, who was similarly clutching his chest. Brian was in full-blown suspicious mode now, and rapidly started to divest the other man of his pack, jacket and t-shirt, still half-believing one of them had been shot. 

Nothing. 

Nothing but a similarly bright red mark consisting of two thin lines. 

Well, that confirmed it then. 

Brian looked up into the man’s face with new eyes now, knowing but not quite believing what was going on. The other man looked steadily back, he’d obviously come to the same horrible conclusion.

“ _Oh, shit._ ” Brian said eloquently. And then the sound of the chopper rushed back into his head and he jerked his gaze away from the other man, focusing again on his injured team members. “Sir.” He shot off and then turned back to his critically ill patient as the chopper landed a few moments later. 

Brian left Sinclair in the capable hands of his men to run over and retrieve the chopper team and the stretcher.

Less than 10 minutes later Jessie Sinclair was stable and loaded into the helicopter, safely in the hands of the medevac field surgeons. Another few minutes later and Reid had been strapped into the chopper as well and then the chopper was fading fast into the horizon. Brian realised he’d probably never see the two men again. They’d both be going home. 

It was as the sound of the chopper blades receded that Brian realised all the shooting had stopped. The helicopter must have scared off the guerilla fighters. Brian breathed a sigh of relief and turned to find the rest of his men, to make sure he hadn’t missed any injuries. 

The mild burning in his chest flared to life again as soon as he turned and made eye contact with the stocky sergeant standing behind him. 

He hunched in pain, a hand going to his chest again and his mouth opening in surprise. Not a single sound escaped though, he was frozen in silence; staring. 

Brian watched as a wince transformed the man’s face even as he stepped forward to offer Brian support.

This time, the physical contact of the man’s hand at Brian’s elbow seemed to cause the pain to recede drastically, and Brian caught himself almost leaning into the sergeant. 

The man noticed, and a worried frown appeared on the man’s face as he stepped back and asked quietly, “What’s your name soldier?”

And Brian couldn’t stop himself from snapping to attention and replying, “O’Connor. Corporal Brian O’Connor, Sir.”

The man offered him a hand, “Dominic Toretto. My friends call me Dom.”

“Ah yes, sarg.” Brian was a tad confused as he took the sergeant’s hand in his own in an attempt at a handshake. But Toretto’s hand was large and warm and the moment Brian’s palm made contact with the sergeant’s, a comforting warmth blanketed his body and Brian didn’t ever want to let go. So instead the two of them just stood there, staring at each other, hands gripped together pointlessly. 

“Hey, O’Connor!” The sound of Parker’s shouting voice snapped Brian out of his daze and away from thoughts of curling up and using Sergeant Toretto as a blanket. 

Brian let go of the sergeant’s hand, and a wave of cold shock settled into his bones as Parker continued in a loud voice, “Sarg says we need to bug out back to base. 18th’s to come with.” 

“Right.” Brian yelled back. So much for checking out his men. They were all obviously ok, if the sarg was planning to move. “Ah, looks like we’re headed back, Sergeant.” Brian added pointlessly, to the man still stood close in front of him. 

The big man was frowning in what looked like discomfort, but he nodded his head at Brian. 

Brian was immediately concerned. “You alright? Are you injured?” Brian cast his eyes over the stocky frame, looking for obvious injuries. There appeared to be none; but the man could be bleeding internally and Brian would never know by just looking. 

Toretto shook his head though and raised a hand to pat his chest, where Brian knew the copy of his own mark sat and said nothing. Toretto was just feeling the same horrible sensations as Brian. 

Brian nodded in understanding. “We better…” he gestured down the road where Brian’s squad leader and the other men were already moving toward base camp at a quick pace. 

Toretto nodded in agreement and the two of them followed the two squads, a little distance between them and the other men. 

*****

**Part 2**

Brian doesn’t remember much of the march back to base camp; all he really does remember is the deep, soothing comfort deep in his chest at the constant closeness of the other man. 

That, and the absolute _panic_ that had settled into the pit of his gut.

They barely spoke on they way back. At one point Brian had finally opened his mouth to get something out, anything to dim the fire of panic raging through him, but he’d been interrupted just after he’d uttered, “Sir.” 

But all the man said was, “Not here.” abruptly. And then a moment later, softer, “It’s Dom.” 

Brian remembers vividly, replying back, “Yes, Sir-Dom.” And how comforting the name felt passing through his lips, how it seemed to dull the panic a little and the two of them remained in silence for the rest of the march back.

The downside to that, of course, was that he didn’t know if he could go back to calling the man ‘Sir’, and now that they were back at base, that wasn’t really going to be optional, no matter what ‘Dom’ requested. 

Brian hadn’t needed to worry about that though, because as soon as the two squads arrived back at base, the men were separated for medical check-ups, debriefings and weapon checks. 

And with the Sergeant out of a 10 yard radius for the first time that afternoon, Brian could barely concentrate.

He passed the first few hours in debriefing and medical in a daze; his superiors concerned and curious about his lack of focus, but thankfully they seemed to put it down to shock and stress from the incident and they sent him on his way. He was to rest and recuperate, talk to the base chaplain and report back for further debriefing tomorrow. 

As soon as he was freed from the temporary shed that passed as medical he headed for the mess tent, seemingly drawn there by an invisible force that wasn’t hunger. He felt dizzy and slightly sick, the storm of emotions wreaking havoc on his poor stomach.

It became clear what that force was as soon as he stepped foot inside. Dom’s head snapped up and his eyes glued to Brian immediately, the sharp gaze boring into Brian. A feeling of relief suddenly washed through Brian and he couldn’t keep himself from making a beeline for the table the other man was seated at. 

He was almost there when a shred of common sense kicked in and he detoured to load himself a tray of food before he continued back on his path to join Dom. 

Brian scooted onto the bench next to a private he didn’t know, sitting opposite Corporal Vince Peretti from the 18th squad, who was sitting next to Dom. _Sergeant Toretto_. Brian reminded himself. 

Dom shot him a look as he sat and Brian couldn’t help but duck his head, away from the pointed gaze and he stared at the mountain of food that he didn’t really want. 

“What a day, huh?” Peretti’s deep voice boomed at him. “Good job today, O’Connor.” 

Brian looked up at the large man, surprised. “Ah thanks, man.” He shrugged. “It’s what I’m here for.” 

Peretti nodded, but got up from the bench seat to reach over and pat him on the shoulder. 

“You did good, O’Connor.” And Dom’s tone said loud and clear ‘end of discussion, take the compliment’. 

Brian couldn’t help but smirk a little at the tone, but nodded and went back to his food. 

“I’m turning in early, gentlemen.” Dom’s voice brooked no room for discussion as he stood up from the bench seat. “Behave yourselves. Early day tomorrow. As always.” And he winked at Brian.

Brian was fairly shocked that that was it. The man was going to bed. After everything that had changed today, the man was just leaving. Brian snapped his mouth shut, realising he was being overly obtuse, staring absurdly with his shocked mouth open after Dom as he left the mess. 

Before Brian could tear his eyes away from the broad back though, the man turned swiftly and flicked his head in the direction of the exit. 

Shocked again, Brian swallowed distinctively around the lump of food caught in his throat and then nodded as surreptitiously to Dom as he could before the man pushed the swinging doors of the mess open and strolled outside. Brian eyed the mountain of food on his plate before attacking it with as much grace and speed in combination as his battered stomach could handle. 

A few minutes later, he’d finally eaten enough food off the tray that he thought he could get away with ditching the rest without being suspicious and he pushed away from the table, sending a ‘goodnight’, to the table in general, before he dumped the tray and headed as quickly as possible for the exit. 

And then stopped. 

He had no idea which barrack the Sergeant was housed in and even if he could find it, there would be no privacy there. 

He had no other option so he headed off in the direction of his own barrack, looking around for any signs of the sergeant. 

He’d almost reached the barrack doors when a low pitched whistle caught his attention, coming from around the side of the building. 

Dom was there as he rounded the corner, leaning casually back against the canvas covered wooden post that contributed to the frame of the barrack, looking for all the world like he could stand there all night. 

Brian didn’t know how the man could be casual about all this, Brian was a jumble of constant nerves and mild panic. 

But as Brian drew nearer to the other man, the sergeant straightened, his face serious and turned to head toward the back of the barracks. 

Brian followed closely, anxious to be alone with the other man. They had a lot to talk about. 

A moment later, they rounded the back of the barrack to where a jeep waited for them. Dom wasted no time climbing in, motioning Brian to join him. 

Brian didn’t hesitate. 

*****

It was well and truly dark by the time Sergeant Toretto maneuvered the jeep past the sentry guards, giving the two men a small wave as he sped past. 

They didn’t drive far, just a few miles outside the compound, into a small clearing, where Dom pulled the jeep to a stop, cutting the engine plunging the two of them into silence. 

Brian breathed and listened for a moment; to the ticking of the cooling engine, the chirp of millions of insects, the faint sound of far of rushing water and now that they were here, Brian had absolutely no idea what to say to the other man. 

The silence stretched on, starting to become uncomfortable and thick, and still Brian had no idea what to say. It itched under his skin and he didn’t know how to abate it and suddenly he couldn’t sit there anymore. 

He pulled himself up and leaped over the side of the jeep, his feet hitting the grass softly and he wandered toward the front of the vehicle. And as he moved forward, he suddenly realised that the clearing Dom had pulled them into was actually the top of a cliff face; just a few feet in front of him the ground suddenly disappeared into inky blackness. 

Brian shot Dom a look of utter surprise and then left the side of the jeep, inching closer to the drop-off. He stopped about a foot away from the edge, leaning his torso forward to look down. The sight that greeted him made him jerk back slightly; the drop was sheer and extensive. In the dark, Brian couldn’t even see the bottom. 

He backed away from the edge until he hit the grill of the Jeep, allowing it to take his weight for a moment as he gazed out at the dark sky. 

Brian flicked a look over his shoulder to find that Dom had joined him out of the car and was leaning against the side of the jeep, casual again and suddenly Brian couldn’t stay silent anymore. _How could the man be so casual!_

“ _Shit._ ” Brian hissed under his breath. “What the hell are we going to do?” he asked, louder now and that seemed to kill the casual right from underneath Dom and the man straightened, discomfort marring Dom’s features as he rounded the front end of the jeep. 

“Brian.” The other man soothed, his tone deep and rich and a suddenly a lot closer to Brian than a moment ago. 

The other man reached out a large hand and the second it made contact with Brian’s shoulder, the panic receded, his stomach settling, the marks on his chest giving a tiny throb. 

_The marks._

He brought his own hand up to rub hard at the marks, annoyed at them and looked up to glare at Dom in a challenge. 

Dom didn’t have any reply to that apart from a frustrated sigh. He dropped the hand from Brian’s shoulder and moved it to his own chest, rubbing in the exact same spot Brian was; the spot Brian knew where the mirror image of his own marks were. 

And then Brian couldn’t help himself. He needed to see it again. Just to be sure. 

He moved his hands away from his own chest, getting them on Dom’s combat jacket and digging his fingers into the V at the man’s throat, pulling the sides apart and awkwardly pushing the wifebeater out of the way until the top half of the man’s chest was exposed. Dom did nothing to stop him. 

The marks were still there, red and irritated looking and exactly the same as Brian’s. 

Brian let out a defeated breath and dropped his head. “Damn it.” he swore again as he let his hands fall away from the other man’s body, coming up to comb through his own hair. “ _Damn it!_ ” he said again, tugging at the strands between his fingers. 

“Stop it.” The deep voice of the sergeant commanded and then hands were gripping his forearms and pulling his hands away from his hair and suddenly Brian was splayed out, arms out to his sides and Dom’s large chest barely an inch from his own. 

Brian was slightly taller that the other man, but Dom seemed to bear down over him, his intense gaze focussed solely on Brian’s face and Brian was incapable of looking away. Dom seemed to be inching closer, despite the fact that they were practically pressed together and then Dom’s eyes flashed down to Brian’s lips and heat spiked between them and arousal flooded Brian’s body like a tidal wave. 

“ _Fuck._ ” Brian swore once again, and wrenched his arms out of the warm grip, snapping his face away and attempting to take a step back. 

Only to press further into the front of the jeep. He had nowhere to go. 

Thankfully, Dom took a step back and the tension eased a fraction; Brian watched as Dom took a deep breath and stepped to the side and away, pressing his back against the front of the jeep, next to Brian. The man looked once more as casual as anything, but this time Brian could see the tense lines of his neck and arms, the pulse in his forehead that belayed the casual front. The man was as anxious as he was. And they really needed to talk about it. 

Brian sucked in a deep breath and squared his shoulders. 

“So. I guess we’re bonded now.”

*****

It was like saying the words was an acknowledgment of the bond between the two of them and heat suddenly exploded across Brian’s chest again, somehow only comforting this time and he swayed with it, his body out of his control until his shoulder brushed up against the other man’s and then his body stilled and he was caught there, pressed up against his… his bondmate. 

And Brian sighed in defeat again. He knew what was happening. There was no denying that he and Dom had bonded yesterday, there was nothing they could do about it now. 

“Damn it.” The other man spoke quietly, softly and it was the first time he’d sounded put off by all of this. It made the panic surge in the pit of Brian’s gut. “I can’t- This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Dom said it like it was a confession. 

And Brian just nodded. 

“I was supposed to be the only one. This wasn’t supposed to be able to happen.” The man’s deep voice was getting slightly higher now; angrier. 

There was no argument for that. Brian had thought the same thing. When he spoke again it was resigned. “Yeah. Me too. In an occupation of tens of thousands of men, you and I; probably the only two _marked_ in the entire thing, just happen to come across each other, just happen to have the _same mark_ and I just had to go and touch you!” Brian was almost yelling by the end of his little speech, and he’d had to push himself away from the jeep again, skin too tight, to itchy with frustration and panic and denial.

Brian turned to face Dom, even as he continued to put distance between him and the jeep, his hands up in the air with defeat. “Dom.” he sounded like he was pleading even to his own ears. “Dom. What the hell are we going to do? We can’t be bonded here. We can’t be bonded in the _U.S. army_ , in _Vietnam._ ” 

Dom stepped toward him then, and Brian backed up again, too scared and angry to be close to other man. But then Dom’s face seemed to change from mild frustration and worry to full-on concern and he reached a hand out toward Brian as he took another step closer and Brian took one more step back. 

“Brian.” Dom says and there was a warning in his tone, but Brian ignored it.

_How could this be happening, they couldn’t do this here, they’d both be found out and shipped back home for court-martialing and they’d be dishonourably discharged and they’d never be able to work again._

Brian’s mind was whirling with panic even as he took one last step back and Dom yelled, “Stop!”, which seemed a little over-the-top to Brian, he’d only been speaking the truth, but he attempted to freeze nonetheless and then suddenly Dom’s concern became all too clear to Brian as his back foot hit air instead of solid earth and he flailed even as he started to tilt backwards. 

But then Dom was there, one hand in Brian’s fatigue jacket as he hauled him forward back onto solid ground and away from the sheer drop of the cliff. 

Heat sizzled through Brian’s chest at the touch, which only intensified as Dom yanked him further forward straight into Dom’s chest and crushed him there, held him still halfway between the jeep and the drop. 

Adrenaline and fear and relief were all surging through Brian and he panted with it as he clung harder to Dom’s jacket. He chuckled suddenly, a jumble of emotions and dropped his head down on the broad shoulder, heaving in deep relieving breathes. 

“ _Shit._ ” he said into Dom’s shoulder and loosened his grip from the jacket a little. “Thanks.” he muttered as he pulled his head up, calming down a little and met the man’s gaze. 

The bond sparked between them, practically sizzling with the tension as they stared into each other’s eyes, relief and adrenaline racing through them, making them restless and suddenly Brian couldn’t think of a anything but how much he wanted the other man’s lips on his own.

And so when Dom inched forward, Brian didn’t jerk away and then suddenly Dom’s mouth was on Brian’s and Brian felt like molten fire was being poured between them, somehow glueing them together and Brian wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to part from the man. 

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

*****

The feeling of Dom’s tongue against his was doing ridiculous things to the pit of Brian’s stomach and Brian was panting, seemingly unable to get enough air to deal with those ridiculous _feelings._

He broke away from Dom’s mouth to breathe harder, pushing against Dom’s shoulders to get a little space between them, but Dom clearly wasn’t having the same problem Brian was, and the man pulled him even closer, latching onto the tendon in Brian’s neck and sucking _hard._

“Ngghh.” Brian wasn’t sure what he was trying to say but it wasn’t that. Brian panted again, trying to get words to form properly in his brain, pushing gently but insistently on Dom’s shoulders. “Dom.” He breathed heavy again as Dom moved slightly upward and sucked again. “Dom, wait.” He said and pushed a little harder on the man’s shoulders and Dom finally dislodged from his neck and took a step back, breathing hard. 

“ _Shit._ ” Dom said, seemingly coming back to himself. “Sorry.” he whispered, voice so deep Brian could barely hear the actual words as Dom backed himself into the grill of the jeep, putting distance between them. “Damn it.” 

Brian could only nod. _Yeah._ Brian knew what the man was thinking. If they couldn’t even spend half an hour alone without _bonding_ how were they going to manage for the rest of their tours? 

Brian stepped up next to the other man, leaning back against the front of the jeep before he heaved himself up to sit on the hood, taking a few deep breaths. 

“How long have you got left?” Brian asked quietly.

Dom flicked a glance up at him before he turned back to staring into the deep black of the sky. “Six months.” The man answered. “You?”

“Nine.” Brian admitted and then silence stretched between them for a while.

Dom suddenly climbed up onto the hood and settled next to Brian, his shoulder pressed into Brian’s once again. “This is going to be hard.” 

Brian nodded. Truer words. 

“We can't let anyone know. It needs to be like nothing has changed.” Dom continued. 

_But everything has changed. Everything._

“It's going to be harder if we…” Dom waved a hand in the air between them. “You know.” 

Brian did know. Consummating the bond would make things about 100 times worse. But resisting that was going to be about as hard as walking over burning hot coals. And probably just as painful. Brian _knew._

“We should get back.” Is all Brian said. Being back at base was probably the best thing for them now. Dom nodded and leapt down from the hood of the car, shooting Brian one last glance before he climbed behind the wheel, waiting for Brian to follow. 

*****

**Part 3**

Best thing for them be damned, because the next day was _horrible._

Brian had slept like shit, tossing and turning feeling itchy and uncomfortable in his own skin, something in him constantly tugging at him to get up and head to somewhere across the compound. Brian didn’t really need to guess where that somewhere was. 

But bond or not, Brian had a job to do and orders to follow and he was out all day again patrolling, snapping and irritated at his squad members. 

Brian didn’t know how he was going to survive nine _months_ of this, if he felt like he was going to snap after just one. Hopefully things would get better with time. 

Except. 

Except when they returned, there was a subconscious tug pulling him toward the mess tent and as tired and irritated and itchy as Brian was he ignored his better judgement, he ignored the voice telling him this was a bad idea and headed over to the large tent anyway. And just before he entered, there was a low whistle, just like the last night. 

They headed back to the clearing again, and as soon as Dom had pulled the jeep to a stop, Brian was on him, couldn’t tear himself away and neither could Dom it seemed, if the tongue in his mouth and the hand in his hair, tugging him closer was any indication. 

The kiss was hot and wet and lower parts of Brian were immediately interested and Dom’s chest was hard under Brian’s restless hands, but a shred of sanity shouted at him and he gently pulled his mouth away, resting his forehead against Dom’s for a moment, panting. 

“We shouldn’t do this.” Brian breathed. “We should just go back, request a transfer.” 

Dom nodded slightly, the movement jostling Brian’s own head, but a moment later Dom’s mouth was back on his, tongue stroking deliciously against his own and Brian didn’t have the strength to push away twice. 

The first time was quick. Brian couldn’t get his hands on enough of Dom no matter how hard he tried. There was a yearning in the depths of his chest that he couldn’t seem to satisfy, and it didn’t take long for Brian to be in the driver’s seat, legs either side of Dom’s, his weight bearing down on the other man’s legs as he got a hand inside the Dom’s pants and Dom got a hand inside his and then suddenly they were thrusting together, quick and moist and the slide was so delicious and like nothing Brian had ever felt before and a moment later they were both hitting the edge and tumbling over, the gross, wet feeling pooling between them. 

Brian rested his forehead against Dom’s again as they both panted, Dom’s hands wandering around and cupping Brian’s ass in his large hands and squeezing. 

Brian just breathed out a huff of amused air and leaned into kiss the man again, slow and languid. 

“So…” Brian started as he pulled back again. “You bring all your dates here?” 

There was a breath of laughter from the other man and there was a smirk stretched over his mouth as he answered. “What makes you think this is a date, O’Connor?” 

Brian looked between them at the sticky mess and then up and around at the jeep and the clearing, making a show of taking it all in before he turned back to Dom, one eyebrow raised. 

Dom just chuckled again and then leaned in to steal another kiss. “Yeah,” Dom answered the silent question. “I bring a new boy here every night.” 

Brian reared back at that, surprised at that. “Boy!” Brian said, indignant. And then pried one of Dom’s hands off his back side and brought it down to his soft member. “Does this really feel like a boy to you?” 

Dom chuckled again, leaning up to stroke his tongue into Brian’s mouth, his hand moving gently and teasingly and Brian couldn’t keep in the moan at the dual sensation, his dick starting to take a renewed interest in the proceedings. 

“That refractory period just proves how young you are.” Dom whispered against Brian’s lips, giving the dick in his hand a tight tug as if to demonstrate his meaning and Brian moaned again, even as he laughed. 

“Shit.” Brian panted, hips starting to move with the movement of Dom’s hand. 

Dom’s other hand moved then, pushing at the hem of Brian’s loose pants until they were down over Brian’s ass, exposing the sensitive flesh to the cool air and Brian shivered as the large hand palmed one of the cheeks and squeezed. 

The fingers strayed then, toward the centre of Brian’s cheeks and Brian jerked in surprise, shoving his dick further into that large, tight hand and Brian groaned in shock and pleasure even as he panted harder. 

“Dom.” Brian pleaded and the hand at his ass swiped over him again and jerked once more. “Shit.” He panted. 

Dom’s mouth was back on his, hot and wet and delicious and when Dom pulled away Brian managed to gasp out a question. 

“Have you-” he cut himself off to moan, “Have you done this before?” 

Dom’s answer was a chuckle and a particularly slow glide of his hand before he said, “Do I seem like a virgin to you, Brian?” 

And Brian had to kiss him to shut him up, his hand diving back into Dom’s pants to find Dom’s own half hard member and starting up a rhythm that matched Dom’s own hand. 

Dom groaned as Brian chuckled under his breath and then started a slow slide, moving his body back and down, landing with his knees on the jeeps hard floor, his torso wedged between Dom’s thighs, Dom’s hard dick standing at attention right in front of his eyes. 

“I meant with another man, you dipshit.” But Brian didn’t give the man a chance to reply, just lowered his head and took the red, angry shaft into his mouth, covering his teeth and going to town. 

Brian had Dom gasping and moaning in under a minute and when Brian brought his free hand up to massage the man’s balls as he sucked harder, Dom groaned sharply, loud in the quiet clearing and tugged urgently at Brian’s arms. 

Brian removed his mouth with a pop and moved back up to straddle Dom’s thigh, even as Dom pulled him in to lick the taste of himself out of Brian’s mouth. Brian shivered with the thought. 

One of Dom’s hands was in his hair, clenching lightly at his scalp; the other hand had found it’s way back to Brian’s still exposed ass as he whispered, “You have clearly done this with another man.” 

Brian groaned again as the fingers on his ass swiped over Brian’s centre and he bucked his hips against Dom’s thighs and shook his head. “Not- Not that. Just a few quick blowjobs before I was shipped over here.”

Dom’s hand immediately froze on Brian’s ass and Brian almost _whined_. “Come on.” He urged. “I want you to.” Brian didn’t really know what he was asking for, didn’t really know what it was he wanted, but his head was fuzzy with arousal and Dom and this stupid bond and he just wanted everything the other man could give him. 

Brian moved his hand back into the sargeant’s pants and started up a fast pace, causing the other man to groan loudly and his hands finally started to move again. 

One hand was finally back on Brian’s erection, matching his fast pace and the other hand trailed slowly up Brian’s fully clothed chest, stroked up his neck, finally to his mouth where Dom offered up two of his fingers and Brian took them into his mouth, sucking hard and getting them wet. 

He wasn’t stupid; he knew what was coming. 

But the hand on his dick was so fast and so good and he was so close, as soon as the fingers were popped from his mouth and trailed back to his ass, as soon as the first slick finger breached him, his entire body tensed, teetering on the edge and Dom just shoved and the finger was deep inside him and Brian could _feel_ everything and then he slammed over the edge and his dick spurted between them, creamy fluid hitting Dom’s hand, his wrist, his stomach. 

And the wetness or the sight or the tightness of Brian’s ass clenching on Dom’s finger was too much and Brian managed one last, tight stroke of Dom’s erection before the man was falling over the edge as well, groaning loudly as he added wetness to the mess already between them. 

“ _Fuck _.” Brian hissed as the finger was slowly and gently removed from inside of him and he slumped forward, exhausted.__

__“Mmm.” Was Dom’s only reply, his forehead coming to rest gently against Brian’s again. “We should probably get back.”_ _

__Brian sighed in disappointed but nodded his head. They shouldn’t be away from base for too long. He lifted his sated body out of Dom’s lap, his legs shaking and cramped, pulling his briefs and pants up over the sticky grossness that was his groin, grimacing at the feeling of cold mess as he got himself back into his own seat, watching as Dom’s face transformed into the same disgusted expression._ _

__It was gone a moment later as the sergeant clutched at the steering wheel and breathed for a moment._ _

__He lifted his head a moment and looked over to Brian, a defeated look on his face. “We’re so screwed.” he said._ _

__Brian just nodded in agreement._ _

__*****_ _

__It was three days before the two of them could get another jeep and get back to the clearing. They’d barely survived on brief touches as they passed each other around the base, secret embraces around corners and it wasn’t nearly enough for either of them._ _

__Dom pulled the jeep to a stop in the clearing for the third time and Brian immediately jumped out, antsy to touch the other man but knowing he needed to hold off. Knowing they needed to talk._ _

__He paced for a while before he finally pulled himself onto the hood of the car, waiting for Dom to join him, leaning back against the windshield, breathing deep to calm himself._ _

__“How long have you been over here?” He asked the other man. Brian knew he had sixth months left of a twelve month rotation but that wasn’t really what he was asking. Brian knew this wasn’t the man’s first tour._ _

__“This is my third tour.” Dom answered quietly, a determined expression his face._ _

__Brian nodded, he’d expected as much. But three years in this place; Brian couldn’t really imagine it. “This is my first. Three months in.” Brian returned. “Three years. You must miss home?”_ _

__Dom shot him a knowing glance. He knew what Brian was doing, but Brian didn’t care. What they were doing, what they were now, they needed to know this shit about each other. “I’m from L.A.” The man answered and then his head dropped in shame as he muttered, “The only thing I really miss is my sister. Mia. But she isn’t back there. She hasn’t been there for four years.”_ _

___Ah shit_. This is not how Brian had thought this would go. “I’m sorry, Dom.” he spoke quietly, resting a hand on one large shoulder, trying to offer comfort._ _

__“What…” This was a dangerous question. “What about your parents?”_ _

__A small smile stretched over Dom’s face briefly before it was rapidly replaced with a frown. “My mother died when Mia and I were very young. I barely remember her. My father died just before Mia. He was a street racer.” The small smile was back now. “He used to be a driver during the prohibition. He moved out to L.A after that and met my mother. But he never stopped craving the adrenaline rush that came with bootlegging.”_ _

__Dom really didn’t have anyone back at home to miss him over here. Brian was amazed the man could talk about his parents with a smile._ _

__“He died in a street racing accident. But he always said if he had to go, that’s the way he wanted it. Doing something he loved and over quick. After that it was just me and Mia and I tried to protect her, but she couldn’t move on after our father’s death. It ate her up inside. She started street racing as well, but she didn’t-”_ _

__Dom seemed to run out of words there, or his throat had just closed and nothing else could get passed. But Brian got the picture anyway, the horrible heart-wrenching picture._ _

__Brian didn’t have any words though, to comfort the man so they sat in silence for a few moments._ _

__“What about your parents?” Dom had clearly found his voice. “They waiting for you to come home?”_ _

__Brian shook his head slightly. “I don’t remember my father. He left a few months after I was born. Guess he couldn’t take the responsibility of having a newborn baby.” Brian shrugged as he spoke, but the same twinge of pathetic hurt at being unwanted by his father was making itself known in his chest. Brian pushed it aside, for the thousandth time in his life and moved on._ _

__A small smile twinged at his lips as he thought about his mother. “My mom’s great. We were real close when I was younger. She had to work two jobs after my father left, so I didn’t see her much, but I knew she always wanted the best for me.” He paused here, the smile turned bittersweet now. “I haven’t seen her in a few years though. Not since I moved to L.A.”_ _

__“Where did you move from?” Dom asked quietly._ _

__Brian chuckled self-deprecatingly at the question before he answered. “Barstow.”_ _

__Dom snapped a look over at him, surprise written all over his face, one eyebrow raised in doubt. “Really.” The man rumbled. It’s not a question, but Dom sent a glance over Brian’s body, seeing him with new eyes._ _

__The atmosphere sobered between the two of them then, as the elephant in the clearing, as it were, made itself known._ _

__“How did you get in?” Dom asked him and Brian is surprised by the question, it wasn’t one Brian had expected._ _

__He glanced over at Dom, looked the man up and down and answered, “Same way as you I expect. By lying.”_ _

__Dom nodded his head, looking slightly sheepish as one hand moved up to rub at the two tiny marks on his chest, that could’ve stopped the two of them from joining the military if they didn’t closely resemble scars. The military didn’t allow mark bearers to join, purely to avoid this situation that they’ve found themselves in._ _

__“Why did you do it?” Dom asked, and this is the question Brian was expecting._ _

__Brian shrugged and answered truthfully. “I don’t know man. Clearly it was a stupid decision. But I just- It just seemed like the right thing for me to do” Brian really has no idea why he’d joined. He’d floated around L.A for a few months after moving there, unsure what to do with himself, until he’d passed by the recruitment office one day and something unseen had tugged him inside. And now here he was._ _

__Brian didn’t ask the same question back to Dom, he figured they both knew why Dom had joined. There was nothing left for him back home. What could be better than a warzone to take out some of that grief and frustration._ _

__“They’ve sort of become like family. The guys.” Dom waved a hand back in the direction they had came from and Brian knew he was talking about the men in his squad. Some of those men he’s probably served all three tours with._ _

__“Are you going to rejoin?” Brian asked him quietly. This is where they’ve been headed since four days ago in the clearing, the first time Brian touched Dom, but he still didn’t know if he really wanted to hear the answer. He didn’t even really want to think about how much this will change both of their lives._ _

__Dom dropped his head, but didn’t say anything for a long while. “I was probably going to keep joining up until they wouldn’t let me anymore; until the war was over.” He shook his head slightly. “I don’t think I can do that now.” He turned his head and looked sharply at Brian, his gaze boring into Brian’s, emotions written all over his face, loss and longing and something Brian thought might be love. “But they’re going to ship me out of here three months before you.”_ _

__Brian nodded and shifted, inched closer to the other man, pressing his shoulder more firmly against Dom’s broader one, his entire leg coming in contact with Dom’s; hip to knee._ _

__“What- what are you going to do?” Brian asked quietly, his voice so deep it almost rivalled Dom’s._ _

__“I don’t know that I’m going to have much choice. But I- I’ll wait for you- I’ll find you in L.A when you get shipped back.” Dom turned his entire body then, to face Brian, one large hand coming up to cup Brian’s face, leading him gently into a kiss that was both gentle and hungry._ _

__And all Brian could think was _at least they have six months together until Dom get’s shipped home_ , before he melted into the kiss and the ability to think quickly vanished from his brain. _ _

__*****_ _

__Which is, of course, when everything changed. When everything went to hell._ _

__It had been a week. One entire week since Brian had first laid hands on Dom and the connection had instantly fired between them. One week since they realised they were compatible bondmates and they were never going to be able to physically separate themselves from each other again. One week since Brian had realised he couldn’t survive without Dom by his side._ _

__And as it turned out, one week was all they would get._ _

__It was early, and Brian was starving and happy. The kind of happy he’d never felt until he’d connected with his soulmate._ _

__Brian was headed toward the mess tent before reporting for duty, when a low whistle caught his attention and spun around to where Dom was waiting, hidden in shadows, leaning against the wooden post of his barrack, just like that first day._ _

__Brian headed over to the waiting man, following him to the back of the barrack, to privacy. But Brian was starting to get worried now. This was unusual. They never met in daylight. They always met like this after dinner and they headed out to the clearing before they did anything, before they even said anything._ _

__And so Brian _knew_ something was wrong now, because Dom was kissing him. At seven o’clock in the morning. _ _

__But Brian succumbed to the kiss for a moment, let himself revel in the feeling of being pressed up against his bondmate, let the fire in his chest warm him from the inside out and cover him like a blanket of comfort._ _

__And then Dom pulled back and that comfort was shattered with one glance at the large man’s expression._ _

__“Brian.” Dom’s tone was somber and serious and he seemed reluctant to speak further, but he forced the words out. “Bri… the platoon’s been reposted.”_ _

__Cold seemed to drench Brian’s body as the words hit his ears._ _

__“Shit.” Brian swore as he stared hopelessly at the other man._ _

__“They’re sending us further up North. Bravo Company has lost a lot of men, they need reinforcements. We’re shipping out today.” Dom looked like the words coming from his mouth were making him physically ill. He raised a hand to his chest, rubbing at the mark there that had started up a low irritating burn._ _

__Brian knew how he felt, but he was trying his best to ignore it for now. _Damn it_. They had known this was coming, but suddenly sixth months apart had become nine and that was about to start _right now_. They didn’t have three months to get used to the idea anymore. _Not that that would’ve made things easier,_ Brian thought. _ _

__“Shit. Fuck.” he swore again, but then he took a step closer to Dom and dropped his head against the man’s shoulder, his hands clutched in the man’s fatigue shirt, trying to pull the sergeant as close to him as he could. “Damn it.” he whispered again._ _

__He wasn’t sure how he was going to let go._ _

__Dom’s hands were fisted in the back of Brian’s jacket, pressing them close together like he didn’t ever want space between them again and that certainly wasn’t helping Brian in convincing himself to step backward._ _

__But eventually, Brian had no choice. Someone would come looking for them shortly and their secret would be discovered and then all hell really would break loose. So no, better to step back now, tough it out for the next nine months and then find his partner stateside when he was finally discharged to go home._ _

__Brian clutched even tighter for a moment and just before he let go Dom whispered into his ear._ _

__“I’ll find you in L.A”_ _

__The breath was punched out of Brian even as he stepped back, forcing himself to stand on his own two feet as he sighed again in defeat. Dom dropped his arms from the hold he had on Brian’s jacket and let him go. As soon as there was a foot of distance between them, the mark on his chest started back up with that low, irritating burn, that seemed to intensify with every step he took away from the sergeant._ _

__The larger man cleared his throat, emotion colouring his tone. “I’ll see you around, O’Connor.” he said loudly, normal like they hadn’t just been clutching each other for dear life, and then he turned and walked away, the fire in both their chests increasing with every step._ _

__Brian allowed himself to clutch at the mark in his chest now, and as Dom finally stepped around a corner and out of sight, Brian stumbled, catching himself on the mess tent pillar, breathing hard._ _

___God damn, shit_. Brian didn’t know how he was going to get himself to move away from this pillar, let alone keep himself going for the next nine months of his tour in Vietnam. _And what if Dom didn’t manage to find him in L.A? What then?_ _ _

__He didn’t have the time to wallow though, he needed to report to duty in about five minutes._ _

__He pushed himself slowly off the pillar, back onto his feet and slowly started back to his barrack, hand still clutched at his burning chest._ _

__He slowly stumbled back past the mess entrance, but there was no time for food now. Besides he wasn’t sure he could stomach anything right now._ _

__He eventually made it back to the barrack and he readied himself for duty. He just had to make it through today. It would get easier with time._ _

__*****_ _

__**Part 4** _ _

__Brian was right; all those months ago, it did get easier. If by easier he had meant the burn in his chest settled down to a low irritating itch after the first few weeks and he had to be pulled from his bunk by his squad mates every morning as he sunk further and further into depression._ _

__But he’d made it; a full year done in Vietnam and he’d done his job, he’d helped a lot of young soldiers as a medic and he’d seen more combat than he thought he would and he was sure he’d come out a different man, but a full year in Vietnam and he was finally going home. He’d always thought he’d sign up for more tours, couldn’t think of a reason not too. But then Dom happened and he couldn’t think of anything he wanted to do less._ _

__The mark on his chest gave an annoying, sharp throb as Brian thought the name and he rubbed at his chest, completely fed up with the stupid, irritating lines over his heart. They had given him nothing but hell for the past nine months._ _

__He looked around as he boarded the plane, taking one last look at the Vietnam landscape, saying goodbye in his head; he knew he wouldn’t be coming back here._ _

__He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he was tired. So, so tired of feeling half empty all the damn tired and all he wanted was to get home, find a comfortable bed and probably never get out of it._ _

__He stepped into the main body of the plane, heading to the back and finding a seat, strapping himself in and leaning back. It was going to be a long, loud, uncomfortable flight._ _

__*****_ _

__Almost a day later, Brian stepped off the plane he had boarded in Honolulu, and tried to make his way straight through the busy L.A.X airport to the taxi rank as soon as possible._ _

__He was trying to dodge the crowd headed for the baggage claim, trying to head directly out the arrivals gate automatic doors, when he glimpsed a set of broad shoulders and he stopped dead in his tracks. _What- No it’s not possible._ _ _

__But the little spark of comforting heat from his chest was telling him that it was. He was still standing in the exact same position, people pushing and shoving to get past him, when the figure yards in front of him turned his head and their eyes locked across the crowded room._ _

__And then the burn was so great, Brian could hardly breath. But somehow his feet were moving, expertly dodging the crowd, his eyes still locked on the other man._ _

__And then suddenly Dom was there and they crashed together into a hug that Brian didn’t think he could ever let go of. But Dom was pulling back, his hands coming up to frame the blond’s face, stroking over his cheekbones with his thumbs and smirking widely. The larger man was pulling away completely then, jerking his head towards the exit, indicating Brian to follow him. Brian couldn’t do anything else if he tried._ _

__They hit the L.A heat and it was so different to the Vietnamese heat, dry and crisp and Brian finally felt like he was home._ _

__The tiredness hit him like a tidal wave again and he followed Dom across the carpark in a daze, concentrating only on putting one foot in front of the other and keeping close to the broad back leading the way._ _

__And then the casually dressed man came to a halt and Brian looked up from the white fabric stretched over taut back muscles to find Dom standing next to a beautiful, black Dodge Charger, opening the driver’s side door and climbing in behind the wheel. Brian clued in and headed to the passenger side, following Dom inside._ _

__The feeling of cruising down the Californian freeways with Dom in the driver’s seat of a brand new Charger, the wind whipping at Brian’s face through the open window’s was indescribable. He was comfortable and home, and there was the now unfamiliar warmth radiating over his body from the mark on his chest and within two minutes of them getting on the freeway, Brian was asleep._ _

__****_ _

__Brian was dreaming of Vietnam. Of Vietnam with Dom still in it. Which wasn’t overly surprising. Brian had dreamed of the week they’d had together almost everyday since the two of them were forced to separate._ _

__They were back in the clearing, both of them lying on the hood of the jeep and Brian felt completely at peace. He blinked though and he wasn’t the clearing anymore, but behind the barrack where they’d said goodbye. The last place Brian had seen Dom. Brian was clutching Dom close again, and Dom was holding him close, his face pressed into Brian’s neck._ _

__“Brian.” Dom moaned deeply into Brian’s collarbone, but then he was pulling away, hands going to his shoulders and shaking slightly. “Brian.” Dom sounded slightly insisted now, even as one hand dropped and Dom moved to his side and Dom shook his shoulder again and said his name one more time, even more insistent and Brian blinked his eyes to find himself back in the Charger with Dom in the driver’s seat._ _

__Daylight flooded his vision and Brian blinked rapidly and tried to get his bearings. Right. L.A. Dom._ _

__The marks on his chest gave a happy little pulse of heat as he pushed himself upright in the seat, still blinking, adjusting to the brightness of the sun._ _

__He turned his head toward the large man behind the steering wheel and he couldn’t help the smile that stretched over his mouth. “Hey.” He said, happily. “How long was I out?”_ _

__“Most of the way here. ‘Bout an hour’s drive.” The man answered in his deep, rumbling voice that cut deep into Brian’s gut, stirring things that had laid dormant for nine long months. Brian pushed himself straighter in his seat and tried to ignore the flaring desire._ _

__The smirk that appeared on Dom’s face told Brian that he wasn’t fooling anyone. But then Dom turned and waved a hand out the driver’s side window. “We’re here.” he announced and then opened the door and pushed himself out onto the sidewalk._ _

__Brian watched the man as he crossed in front of the beautiful car and came up to Brian’s side of the car, opening the passenger door and offering Brian an arm._ _

__Brian gripped it tight, another flare of desire shooting through his belly and used the arm to haul himself out of the car until he was standing next to Dom and looking around._ _

__They were in the suburbs; a wide street, lined with classic two-storey houses._ _

__“Where are we?” Brian asked curiously._ _

__Dom motioned for Brian to follow him up the driveway as he answered. “This…” Dom threw his hands wide, encompassing the whole property, “This is where I grew up. My sister and I used to live here after my father died. It’s mine now.”_ _

__Brian was speechless, he had so many questions and he couldn’t get any of them out. But Dom didn’t wait for Brian’s reaction, just continued on up the front stairs, unlocking the front door and ushering Brian inside._ _

__As soon as Brian had stepped past the threshold, he was pushed back again, falling against the hard wood door and forcing it closed with a thud and then he had two hundred pounds of ex-sergeant Dominic Toretto pressed up against him, mouth on his, tongue stroking against his and Brian had never felt so happy or complete in his life._ _

__He broke away for air a little while later, slumping against the door and sighing in relief, allowing Dom to take his weight as he clutched at the man’s tight, white shirt._ _

__“Dom.” he sighed. “I- I can’t believe you’re here. I half thought-” he’d half though Dom wouldn't find him at all. He definitely thought it would take longer for them to find each other then Brian's first steps back on L.A ground. “How did you know-” Apparently he's too shocked to get out a full sentence._ _

__But Dom seemed to understand the question because he shrugged helplessly. “I knew you had another three months over there after I shipped home; it was easy enough to figure out you’d rotate back this month. I have an old buddy at the base that was willing to send me a list of names of the home bound troops.”_ _

__Brian nodded, it sounded simple enough but Brian had a feeling it was a lot more complicated than that._ _

__“How was it for you; after that day?” Brian almost whispered the words, forehead heavy on Dom’s shoulder._ _

__Dom sighed heavily and it made him sound tired and then Dom pulled away slightly, clutching at Brian’s arm and nudged him over to a large sofa, pushing him into and then he disappeared into another room for a minute._ _

__When he returned, Dom had two cold beers clutched in one large hand, offering one to Brian who accepted it gratefully, taking a large sip and savouring the cool slide of the liquid down his throat._ _

__Dom slid in next to Brian on the sofa so that their shoulders were pressed roughly together and sipped at his beer before he started talking._ _

__“It was hard, I won’t lie.The boys knew something wasn’t right, but there wasn’t much they could do to help. We were up in the highlands for the three months I had left on my tour; I was so tired when it was finally over. Everything seemed to take so much effort; getting up everyday.”_ _

__Brian nodded against Dom’s shoulder again; he could understand._ _

__“And then I got shipped home. It was almost worse out here, further away from you.” Dom paused and tightened his hold around Brian slightly as he continued. “So I had to find something to keep me busy.” He swept an arm out, indicating the house. “No one’s been in it since Mia-” Dom cut the sentence short, clearly not wanting to talk about his sister’s death right now, the pain still to close and raw. “Since Mia.” He ended with instead. “The house needed a lot of work.”_ _

__Brian moved his arm and rested it lightly upon Dom’s massive thigh, squeezing slightly, trying to offer some comfort._ _

__“It took a while to get back to normal life, but I… ah.” Dom squeezed the arm around Brian again and then let him go, getting up off the couch and striding to the window._ _

__Dom seemed to change tracks then. “I started up an auto shop.”_ _

__Brian was confused at Dom’s sudden agitation. Dom sounded like he’d managed to keep himself busy without Brian around, kept himself sane._ _

__“That’s great, Dom.” Brian said, happy for the man. “I’m glad it didn’t-” Beat you._ _

__Dom turned back to face Brian then, spreading his arms out and uttered, “Stay.”_ _

___Stay._ _ _

__Brian’s eyes widened as he finally understood what was going on, why Dom was nervous all of a sudden and he pushed himself off the sofa and moved to sand in front of Dom._ _

__But he didn’t stop there, he just kept moving until he was right up in Dom’s space, his chest almost pressed up against Dom’s and wrapped his arms around the man’s shoulders._ _

__“Dom, Jesus.” He breathed out and then kissed the man quickly and Dom melted into him, his hand coming down to wrap around Brian’s back. “I don’t think I could leave now, even if you wanted me to.” He admitted, directly into Dom’s ear._ _

__Dom chuckled in relief, relaxing even further into the embrace and pressing his mouth back into Brian’s, stroking gently at the medic’s lower lip._ _

__Brian pulled himself away again and grinned broadly at the man still in his arms. “You think you could use a partner in this auto shop business?”_ _

__Dom laughed now, genuinely happy and squeezed his arms around Brian before he pulled away and went back to the sofa, snatching up his forgotten beer. “You know anything about cars, O’Connor?”_ _

__Brian moved to where the other man was seated and rested his hands on the back of the couch, leaning down to loom over the other man. “I’m sure you can teach me a few things.” Brian whispered and then leaned all the way down and licked the taste of beer off the other man’s lips._ _

__End._ _


End file.
